Differences in phraseology, etc in the USA from England?

[Jacob Fordham 966986]

I'm thinking of making a few flights (maybe in Concorde!) over to the USA and would like to know the main differences regarding ATC phraseology, procedures et cetera that as an English virtual pilot I shall have to keep in mind "across the pond".

[Keith Smith]

Line up and wait --> Postion and Hold

Circuits -> Closed Traffic

QNH (millibars) -> altimeter (inches of mercury) (1013mb = 29.92")

Variable transition levels -> FL180 transition level

 

Other notes:

SIDs and STARs apply to multiple rwys, and are not named by their transitions. They are available for every airport in the US right here: http://www.myairplane.com under the Approach Plates section

 

SIDs and STARs should be included in your flight plan, by name. Do not just say "SID xxx yyy STAR". Example, SFO-LAX would be "PORTE3.AVE.SADDE6" not "SID AVE STAR"

 

Do not request startup/shutdown approval. Do not request pushback.

 

You can be cleared to land if you are not #1 for the runway. That is, you might hear "traffic on 2 mile final is a 737, winds 280 at 5, rwy 25R, number 2, cleared to land"

 

Other than that, my experience has been that it's about the same. Come on over and give it a try! I normally fly/control in the USA, but have recently done a little flying over in Europe.

[Travis Faudree 821145]

Do not request startup/shutdown approval. Do not request pushback.

 

Not always the case. Take RDU for example, Terminal A departures most often push into or near taxiway Alpha. If you are going to push back into a movement area (some place under the jurisdiction of a ground controller; ie. somewhere other than the ramp area) you must request the push. Also, if for some reason you need to shut down the engines in a movement area, you must request it. Knowing when to request push is pretty easy if you just evaluate what area of the airport you will push back into.

 

Come on over and give it a try!

Agreed. We often have foreign pilots visit us in ZDC and I always enjoy it. Those that do venture over here from across the pond have usually done their homework and are very easy to work with.

[Jeff Turner]

Do not request startup/shutdown approval. Do not request pushback.

 

Not always the case. Take RDU for example, Terminal A departures most often push into or near taxiway Alpha. If you are going to push back into a movement area (some place under the jurisdiction of a ground controller; ie. somewhere other than the ramp area) you must request the push. Also, if for some reason you need to shut down the engines in a movement area, you must request it. Knowing when to request push is pretty easy if you just evaluate what area of the airport you will push back into.

 

Come on over and give it a try!

Agreed. We often have foreign pilots visit us in ZDC and I always enjoy it. Those that do venture over here from across the pond have usually done their homework and are very easy to work with.

 

Keith I believe is talking about VATSIM life, not real life... We don't require pilots to call for push and fire usually unless it's a major event and there is something like gate holds in effect, etc...

[Keith Smith]

Travis, you're correct. I was speaking in general terms an didn't address that relatively rare exception. I mentioned it only because I noticed a pattern in Europe on VATSM, practically every single pilot called for startup/shutdown approval at every airport I visited. Generally speaking, such permission is not required here in the US (except for the case you describe, and even then, I'm not sure how many controllers recognize that case).

[Bradley Podd 856945]

(Just for fun...)

 

"BAW123, type 733/J, Stand 87, information Mike, request clearance to Manchester." ---> "AAL123, instruments to Vegas."

 

"Taxi to stand 12 via Bravo, cross runway 16/34, Foxtrot1, Link1, call for shutdown" ---> "Taxi to parking"

 

[Jacob Fordham 966986]

Thankyou!

[Nate Johns]

When calling for clearance here in the US, I would suggest using the following example as a guide. Reference the Aeronautical Information Manual, which is, among other things, a pilot's guide to ATC in the US. It is located online at www.faa.gov/atpubs if you are interested.

 

5-2-4. Abbreviated IFR Departure Clearance (Cleared. . .as Filed) Procedures

 

. . .

 

h. To ensure success of the program, pilots should:

 

1. Avoid making changes to a filed flight plan just prior to departure.

 

2. State the following information in the initial call-up to the facility when no change has been made to the filed flight plan: Aircraft call sign, location, type operation (IFR) and the name of the airport (or fix) to which you expect clearance.

 

EXAMPLE-

"Washington clearance delivery (or ground control if appropriate) American Seventy Six at gate one, IFR Los Angeles."

 

3. If the flight plan has been changed, state the change and request a full route clearance.

 

EXAMPLE-

"Washington clearance delivery, American Seventy Six at gate one. IFR San Francisco. My flight plan route has been amended (or destination changed). Request full route clearance."

 

Abbreviated departure clearances are (I would think) probably 99% of the clearances given to the normal IFR departure here in the States. I second everything Keith has said up top too. Oh... and single digit runway numbers are not preceeded with a zero

 

I remember my first flight in Europe a few years back. I admit I was kind of scared, but aside from some phraseology differences, and maybe the occasional accent that was hard to understand, I had a successful flight. It was definitely an eye opener to see how ATC works in other parts of the world!

 

~Nate

[Kevin Kan]

Guess you probably will be taking the Concorde tracks, once you enter New York Oceanic, and if a controller is online, we simulate a radar enviroment because of the almost new invention the real world has called ATOPS.

 

So it might start before you even see land.

[Jacob Fordham 966986]

Alright.

 

So that means I won't have to make pos reports then?

[Matthew Horan 901577]

Alright.

 

So that means I won't have to make pos reports then?

 

You will have to once you enter Gander Oceanic

[Kevin Kan]

yes but not as long, just basically "p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing ABCDE"

[Jacob Fordham 966986]

Thanks!

[George Anopov 895164]

The difference between FAA and JAA regulations ARE MAJOR, not just phraseology, but every aspect of flying and ground preparations procedures as well!

[Peter Blocki 933043]

Another small difference is that in the US we say "Contact Miami Center 1-3-2 POINT 2 - 5" In Europe you hear, "Contact XXX Approach 1-2-3 DECIMAL 4"

[Rey Lopez 883899]

yes but not as long, just basically "p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing ABCDE"

 

i swear the other day i heard zny getting those long pos reports and everytime i listen same with gander but im not so sure ill have to listen tomorrow and see

[Matthew Horan 901577]

yes but not as long, just basically "p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing ABCDE"

 

i swear the other day i heard zny getting those long pos reports and everytime i listen same with gander but im not so sure ill have to listen tomorrow and see

 

If you're listening to the HF stream on liveatc.net, I'm sure you'll hear Gander, Shanwick and NY on there from time to time, so it might have been a position report meant for those north of 45N.. check here, you'll see what I mean